1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector apparatus suitable for use as a multipolar connector.
2. Related Art
A connector apparatus for use in connecting electric wirings to one another has been in circumstances where contact I frictional resistance between contacts on connection of male and female connectors increases with increase in the number of contacts, so that a large operating force is needed therefor.
Thus, a multipolar connector having many contacts needs a larger force for performing a connecting operation.
As a countermeasure against this, there has been previously provided, for example, an apparatus illustrated in FIG. 14, in which a plurality of female connectors 2 (three female connectors 2a, 2b, 2c, in this case) are formed correspondingly to one male connector 1 by dividing a single female connector there into and respectively connected to portions 1a, 1b, and 1c, to which the female connectors should be connected, of the male connector 1.
In the case of the apparatus configured as described herein above, the number of contacts of each of the female connectors 2a, 2b, and 2c is reduced (incidentally, although each of the female connectors has contacts respectively corresponding to contacts 3 of the male connector 1, the drawing of such contacts of each of the female connectors is omitted) Consequently, an operating force needed for the connection between the male connector 1 and each of the female connectors 2a, 2b, and 2c can be reduced.
However, there has been necessity for connecting a plurality of female connectors 2a, 2b, and 2c to the portions 1a, 1b, and 1c of the male connector 1, respectively. Such an operation is troublesome.
The invention is accomplished in view of the aforementioned circumstances. Accordingly, an object of the invention is mainly to provide a connector apparatus that can reduce an operating force needed for connecting male and female connectors to each other and facilitate a connecting operation.
To achieve the foregoing object, according to the invention, there is provided a connector apparatus having a male connector and a female connector, one of the male connector and a female connector comprising:
an outer housing;
a plurality of inner housings positioned in steps and provided in the outer housing, each of the inner housings having at least one contact; and
a pushing operation force transmitting member engageable with the plurality of inner housings in a plurality of engagement states which is changed per the pushing operation force transmitting member is externally operated, which is incorporated into the outer housing, wherein the pushing operation force transmitting member sequentially transmits a pushing force which is applied to the outer housing in a direction of the other connector to each inner housings by changing the plurality of engagement states.
With this configuration, a plurality of steps respectively constituted by the inner housings are sequentially connected to the counterpart connector by alternately pushing the outer housing and the pushing operation force transmitting member.
In this case, preferably, the connector apparatus further comprises a separating operation force transmitting means, which are provided between the outer housing and each of the inner housings, for transmitting a separating operation force, which is applied to the outer housing in a direction opposite to the direction of the counterpart connector, to the inner housings sequentially.
With this configuration, the inner housings are sequentially separated from the counterpart connector by a separating operation using the outer housing.
Further in this case, preferably, each of the plurality of inner housings has same shape.
Further in this case, preferably, the pushing operation force transmitting member is movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of other connector.